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 May
2007
Stuff I don't need
How come I can never find a value pack with 3 pairs of undies that I like? There always seems to be that one pair that finds its way into the pack via the handkerchief outlet factory. I'm sorry but when it comes to undies I live by a simple rule. Flowers, tartan and teddy bears are just not my bag baby.
I like good value but I don't like paying for stuff I don't need. Yes, I could take the ugly pair and use it as a tea cozy but the problem with that is I don't drink tea. I'm not the only 50 cent capitalist that thinks this way. Others are taking the matter into there own hands. I've seen organized teams of undy shoppers use blockers in the aisle to pull the undy switch move. This is very similar to a card muck move but virtually undetectable by surveillance cameras. Criminals or victims of circumstance?
It seems that sales techniques that entice me to buy stuff I don't need are reaching epidemic proportions. Sales guys, here's some stuff I don't need: fries and Coke, a 5 year extended warranty plan on my blender, scotch guard, shoe leather preserver, channels 300-400 in my cable package, pet insurance (maybe liability?), desert protection on my car, a root canal and Britney Spears tunes on my cell phone.
I have simple needs. When I ask for a chicken sandwich I want a chicken plucked, grilled, sliced and placed between two slices of bread. Feel free to throw in some lettuce and tomato but please keep the creative freedom at bay. Keep the slice of melted cheese, caramelized onions, mountain of mayo and dripping special sauce for the soup of the day. I don't need it.
A couple of years ago I was privy to a survey designed to find out what surveillance directors across the U.S. were looking for in a digital video system. We asked 100 surveillance directors what were the most important features to them. Answers varied somewhat but the 3 features that topped the survey were simply 1) Picture quality. 2) Portability (footprint). 3) Easy access to the video.
Not to over simplify the results, there were other features that were of interest to some of the survey recipients. But quality, portability and access were overwhelmingly what surveillance directors were looking for. The unscientific conclusion I came to at the time was that our industry wants what that Apple guy came up with a kind of I-pod for video surveillance. Capture quality, store it neatly and find it easily.
The survey also asked surveillance managers who had already gone digital what the biggest advantage was. Unanimously the answer was investigation speed. One surveillance manager from a high action casino commented that it reduced investigation times by 80%. That was all he wanted it to do. It saved time and time is worth money.
Hey, I'm a gadget guy. I like technology and cool things but sales guys, please don't sell me stuff I don't need. I just want my undies to fit nice at a reasonable price and please, I can do without the flowers.
This month's featured article is the second of a 2 part article I recently wrote for Casino Enterprise Management magazine called The Four Pillars of Surveillance.
- Enjoy the game
Willy J. Allison
May 2007
The Four Pillars of Surveillance
Part 2: Information & Communication
By Willy Allison
CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE
(in printable format)
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